1912 AND FISHERIES COMMISSION. 199 



not to have been definitely settled by the authorities. It is not the pur- 

 pose of this Commission to enter upon a discussion as to the treaty rights 

 and privileges of Indians, but merely to call attention to certain features 

 of this problem which are of no little importance to the Province. 



In the wilder regions of Ontario the Indians are not, as a rule, 

 addicted to agricultural pursuits and depend for their food very largely 

 on what they can succeed in securing in the way of fish and game. In 

 the main, also, it may be said that the Indian is not an energetic person, 

 excepting when actually engaged in the pursuit of some wild creature, 

 nor as a rule one possessed of great perspicacity in financial matters. 

 Consequently, although many Indians in these regions will at times 

 undertake some form of labour, snch as guiding or the moving of mer- 

 chandise, for which they receive good pay, and will, also, sell the results 

 of their trapping operations which not infrequently net them consider- 

 able sums, in general they are loath to undertake prolonged or steady 

 work, and what money they make disappears with astonishing rapidity, 

 so that during a great portion of the year food is with them a question 

 of no little moment. Although doubtless there could be adduced many 

 instances to the contrary, as a rule the Indian would not appear to be 

 of a wasteful disposition in the matter of food, especially in regard to 

 that secured by hunting, so that on the whole it may be assumed that 

 what game the Indian does take for his own purposes is at least made 

 use of. If, therefore, the depredations of Indians were confined to their 

 own requirements, there would, perhaps, not be much cause for com- 

 plaint. Unfortunately, however, this is far from being the case. In the 

 wilder portions of the country there are in many localities to be found 

 individuals only too willing to purchase from Indians such game as the 

 law forbids their taking themselves, and so long as the Indian can take 

 game with impunity during the close seasons on public lands, so long 

 would it seem inevitable that there should be a market open to him ; in 

 fact, a direct incentive to him to break the laws which apply to the white 

 man. 



Fish, game and fur-bearing animals are obviously an exhaustible 

 asset, and restrictions in regard to their taking have been necessitated 

 owing to their diminishing numbers. If the Indian is enabled to enter 

 any area and take what game he chooses to any extent he desires, not 

 only is it apparent that the effect of the restrictions will be largely dis- 

 counted in that area, but that the white inhabitants of the area will have 

 reasonable cause for complaint and indignation. Various instances of 

 this unsatisfactory state of affairs are readily to be found in the Province. 

 The beaver, which had become very scarce throughout Ontario, was 

 placed under protection for a period of years, which protection is still 

 in force. The Indian, who can take the beaver if such exists on his reser- 

 vation and, moreover, is somewhat partial to its flesh, will not and has 

 not been deterred in many instances from so doing on public lands, 

 mainly for the reason that he seldom encounters any difficulty in dis- 



